*Ring. Ring.* The alarm blared.

I groaned and turned onto my side, half-awake. Tequila licked my nose, her not-so-subtle reminder that it was time for her morning walk. I let out a sigh, flipped onto my back, and stared at the ceiling. Raising my arm over my head, I urged myself to get up.

It took a full minute to gather enough strength to move. I threw on a fresh shirt and scooped my princess off the bed. "What do you say? Walk time?"

Each walk, my thoughts wandered to Kz. It had been a week since that day—the perfect day. Tequila's rare approval of a complete stranger. The way Kz's hand fit in mine. And her scent. I could still vividly remember that sweet pumpkin spice lingering in the air around her. Her voice... low, smooth, but with just enough of a seductive edge to stay in my head.

Before, I would have brushed it all off, but there was something there. An undeniable pull I couldn't seem to shake. And now? I sometimes felt regret for not asking for her number.

Damn. Why am I acting like this? Letting someone bother the peace I tried so hard to protect wasn't part of the plan.

The plan had always been simple: just Tequila and me. That was it. No attachments, no complications. I was fine with the way things were. If there was anything I learned, it was that people couldn't be trusted. Tequila and I learned that the hard way. I wouldn't let it happen again. Maybe meeting Kz had just been a fleeting moment. A reminder of what I needed that day and nothing more.

Shaking off the thoughts, I grabbed Tequila's leash, and we headed out to the park.

The park was busier than usual. Families, joggers, couples; more people than I would have liked, but Tequila's tail wagged with excitement. I kept a close eye on her as I unclipped her leash, letting her run free. Her joy was contagious, though my mind remained restless.

I had been craving a cigarette, the itch still there even after all these years. It had been eight years since I picked up the habit, since that day...

The memory hit me.

I saw myself, sitting on the floor, tears streaming down my face. My hands clenched into fists. The collar, broken and frayed, lay discarded beside me. The rage in my chest was unbearable.

The wind pulled me back.

It blew past me now, cool and sharp, like it was urging me to let it all go. To release the weight of the past and bury it somewhere I would never find it again. I took a deep breath, trying to ground myself, and called out to Tequila.

I needed to stop by the store. I forgot to pick up dog food yesterday. I couldn't let her starve, though I hated the idea of another errand.

Another walk. No sign of Kz.

Fate, huh? I scoffed at it.

After our routine walk at the park, we dropped by the grocery store, grabbed some dog food, and headed home.

At the apartment entrance, I spotted a girl fumbling with her keys, clearly searching for something. She was holding the same brand of dog food I just bought.

Ha! At least some people loved their dogs like me.

I didn't pay her much attention, instead focusing on getting inside, when I caught a faint whiff of vanilla pumpkin spice. My steps faltered. My eyes widened.

No way. It couldn't be... right? Fate...

"Did I seriously just forget my keys?" the stranger muttered to herself.

I froze. My heart started pounding in my chest like an alarm.

That voice... It was her voice.

For a second, I hesitated, unsure whether I should speak up or just walk away. But I couldn't help myself. I had to know.

"Kz?" I said, my voice coming out more nervous than I intended.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. She stopped, turning at the sound of her name. As soon as I saw her face, I almost dropped the dog food in my hands.

Tequila, recognizing her instantly, squirmed in my arms, barking excitedly.

"Tyler?" Kz's eyes went wide, just as surprised as I was.

I set Tequila down, and she immediately rushed over to Kz, wagging her tail furiously. Kz knelt, letting out a soft laugh as she scratched Tequila behind the ears.

"You live here?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"I... yeah," I managed, still trying to process this. "You too?"

She nodded, shaking her head like she was trying to make sense of it. "For a year now. I can't believe we've been in the same building this whole time."

I laughed, a little awkwardly. "A year?" I couldn't believe we were living in the same apartment building for that long and haven't crossed paths. All I could manage to say was, "Small world." Still in a state of utter disbelief.

Kz looked down at her keys again, frustration creeping in. "Ugh, I can't believe I forgot them. I really don't want to wait out here for too long."

I glanced at Tequila, who was still happily sniffing around, and then at Kz. "Which floor are you on?"

"Fourth," she replied.

"Fourth?" I repeated. "Huh? I'm on the third floor."

"Guess we're almost neighbors then?" she said with a grin.

I nodded. "Guess so."

But then I noticed her still struggling with her keys, and I saw the discomfort in her body language. She was wriggling around, moving from side to side, and I started to get a sense that something wasn't quite right.

"You okay?" I asked, concern creeping into my voice.

"I... uh... I kinda really have to pee," she admitted, looking sheepish.

My brow furrowed, and she nodded, still shifting nervously. "I've been locked out for a while, and now... well, nature's calling."

I tried to hide my surprise, but I couldn't help the awkward laugh that escaped. "Well, I guess that's a bit of a situation," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "You don't want to go to a coffee shop or something, right?"

Really? The coffee shop? Come on now, Tyler. You're being impossible when you clearly know what she needs.

She looked at me like I'd suggested something impossible. "No, I don't want to walk all the way back to the coffee shop... and I really don't think I'll make it that far," she said, laughing nervously.

Figures. Letting her use the bathroom wasn't going to do any damage... or hurt... or pain...

"Look," I said, trying to sound calm, "I live just one floor down. You could wait there until the maintenance personnel can let you in."

She shook her head. "You don't mind? I know it's weird... I don't want to cause trouble."

Well, I couldn't just let her stand here forever...

"No, it's fine," I said, trying to ease her worries. "Really."

I quickly unlocked the door to my apartment, not even bothering to look around to make sure it was "ready." It was neat enough, and I knew she was probably more focused on getting to a bathroom than on judging the state of my place.

She walked toward the bathroom, and that was when I noticed Tequila's toy bone lying on the floor. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Kz's hurried steps heading straight for it, like an accident waiting to happen.

"Kz, watch out!"

*Thud!*

She froze mid-step, turning to me in alarm. But before I could reach her, she grabbed my shirt to steady herself and pulled me down with her.

In a blur, we both lost our footing, and before I could fully process it, I was on top of her, my hands pressed against the floor to keep myself from falling further. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she shifted slightly beneath me, trying to adjust, but there was just enough space between us thanks to my hands to stop us from getting too close.

I blinked, dazed, caught somewhere between the shock of the fall and the strange proximity. I felt the weight of the moment, the tension, and for a second, I forgot how we got here.

I couldn't stop myself from leaning in slightly, but then...

"Tyler..." she whispered, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink as she quickly turned her head to avoid my gaze. Her hands pressed against my chest, creating a bit of space between us. "Maybe this looks like a pretty romantic scene right now, but I really have to go pee... or we'll never see each other again if I pee on myself. I really need to go to the bathroom."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I froze. The tension shattered in an instant, replaced by the absurdity of the moment. I blinked, tried to hide the heat rushing to my face, then shifted back a little to give her space.

"Uh... okay. Yeah, go ahead," I said, still trying to process what just happened, our faces just inches apart.

But as she braced herself to get up, her forehead smacked directly into my chin with a dull thud.

"Ah! Ow!" she cried, immediately rubbing her forehead while I winced and grabbed my jaw.

"For the love of... Are you okay?" I asked, my voice slightly strained as I rubbed my chin. I stepped back, trying to act like it didn't hurt, but my stiff posture and the way I kept glancing at the floor probably gave me away.

Kz rubbed her forehead, a deep blush creeping across her face. "Not a word!" she muttered, turning quickly toward the bathroom.

I gave a short nod, keeping my tone as calm as possible. "Yeah, sure..." My hand hovered near my jaw, trying not to wince when I swallowed.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, I let out a quiet breath, my hand finally dropping from my chin. I stood there for a second, eyes darting around the room as if it might hold the answers to what just happened.

Then, without thinking, I pressed my palm to my forehead and dragged it down my face, muttering under my breath. "Oh, god..."

I couldn't stop myself from letting out a small groan of frustration. There was no way I could play it cool after that. I leaned against the wall, scrubbing a hand through my hair in a rare moment of panic.

"Why... why did that have to happen?" I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut.

A few minutes went by as I glanced over at the clock, tapping my foot absentmindedly. It had been a while since she had gone into the bathroom. Was everything okay? I leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting, trying to convince myself that I wasn't overly concerned about her being in there for so long.

I was about to knock on the door when I heard her shuffle inside. A few seconds later, the door creaked open. She stepped out, face flushed and trying to act all cool, but it was clear she was still embarrassed.

"Everything okay in there?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

She cleared her throat and glanced at the floor, avoiding my gaze. "Yeah. Fine. Totally fine."

I handed her the cup of water I've been holding, trying to be polite, though I was barely holding in my laughter. Her eyes flickered up to meet mine, and for a split second, I caught the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you," she mumbled so quietly, I almost didn't hear it. I fought hard to keep my expression neutral, but it wasn't easy.

"Yeah. So..." She cleared her throat, finally looking up at me. "You know how my life isn't always tragic? Well, today was just that day, huh?" She said it in an awkward, almost forced way, as if trying to brush off the tension.

She quickly looked away again, pretending to dust off something that wasn't even there on her clothes.

"Sure. Happens to the best of us." I chuckled, still forcing myself not to laugh. It definitely was the most romantic thing I'd seen in a while, just not in the way I ever imagined. I smiled at the thought of it.

Kz's words tumbled out in a rush, her voice almost frantic. "You know, I really wouldn't want to be bothering you like this, but... I still can't find my keys, and the maintenance guy had an emergency. I really wouldn't want to impose, and I could just hang out at a cafe instead. The thing is, my phone's about to die! It's at 1%. I don't know if God's trying to toy with me by embarrassing me further, but can I just have it charged for at least 30 minutes? Then I'll be gone! I promise I won't be in your way. You can just pretend I'm not here. I'll even try not to breathe too loudly so you don't feel the tiniest bit of my presence!"

I blinked, trying to process what she just said. She looked so flustered, her cheeks practically glowing red, and I couldn't help but feel bad for her. Almost.

I quickly tried to stifle the grin threatening to spread across my face. "You're really not bothering me, Kz. Seriously." I held up my hands in a mock surrender, trying to keep things light. "You can charge your phone here. No big deal."

Her eyes searched mine, uncertainty still written all over her face. "Really? You're sure?" She motioned to the outlet by the couch, still a little hesitant.

"Yeah. Of course. You're not in my way." I smiled, a bit more reassuringly this time. "Honestly, I'd rather you didn't go to a cafe anyway. You look like you could use a break."

Kz took a deep breath, as though deciding I wasn't about to kick her out after all. She moved over to the outlet and plugged her phone in, but her body language still seemed stiff, like she was waiting for me to change my mind.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her. "I meant it. You're fine. You can hang out as long as you need to. I'll even pretend you're not here... but if you breathe too loudly, I'll have to call you out," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

She let out a groan, clearly mortified by the whole situation, but there was a trace of laughter in her voice when she spoke. "I should've just gone to the cafe," she muttered under her breath, still trying to save some face. "But... thanks again."

I chuckled softly. "No problem." I grabbed a couple of bottles and started filling them with water. "I'll make sure you're not bothering me in the least."

She sat on the sofa, stiff as a board, barely moving. Right now, she was doing her best to not "get in my way" or to make her presence too known. She stayed in her corner of the room, the tension in the air almost thick enough to cut with a knife. I tried to act normal, but my mind was buzzing with the situation. I had to get ready for work.